5 gallon batch BIAB in 32qt pot

[Antler]

I'm thinking of trying a BIAB as soon as I can. I want to brew a 5 gallon batch but I only have a 32qt pot right now. Can I mash with 3.5 gallons, then after mash out top off with more (boiled) water to end up with 5 gallons after the boil?

 

[BryceL]

I have the same size pot and do BIAB no problem. What I do is mash using 1.25 qt/lb. You can use this handy calculator to see how big of a grain bill you can fit in your pot (http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml). You could do up to 16# no problem. I mash in my pot, then transfer the wort to a bucket, figure how much sparge water I need, heat the sparge water in my pot and rinse my grains, and then return the wort to the pot and proceed with the boil.

 

[Antler]

Good stuff! I was thinking to mark my pot for my boil volume, add the 1.25qt/lb and do the mash. Start another pot of boiling water while I mash out, and top that up to my mark before starting the boil.

 

[JimTheHick]

I do BIAB in a 36 quart pot. Did 18 pounds of grain ONCE. Wouldn't do that again though as it was brimming.

15 pounds is perfect for my setup. I can't do it the Aussie way of using the entire mash/sparge volume at once with all the grain in the pot as well but it still works great.

Enjoy! I really liked the beers done this way so far.

 

[pvtschultz]

5 gallons is the MAX that I can do in my 32 qt tamale pot. I do full volume BiaB and mash in with about about 6.5 gallons; the water line is about 3/4 inch from the rim. The hardest part is getting a good boil w/o boiling over. A spray bottle with water is a very useful tool.

 

[porterguy]

5 gallons is the MAX that I can do in my 32 qt tamale pot. I do full volume BiaB and mash in with about about 6.5 gallons; the water line is about 3/4 inch from the rim. The hardest part is getting a good boil w/o boiling over. A spray bottle with water is a very useful tool.

+1 BIAB...I'm never going back to extract or even partial mash. And I'm never feeling the need to add a lauter tun, mash tun, etc. BIAB rocks

 

[solbes]

BIAB!!! As to boil overs try adding 5-7 drops of fermcap S to your boil. Greatly reduces boil overs and no reason to go bigger on your kettle.

Also can be added to your primary to prevent blow offs - Just prevented a blowoff on my Patersbier 3787, which foams like crazy during fermentation.

 

[GTaylor]

I was just getting ready to post this same question, looking at a fryer with a 35 qt pot and wanted to know if it was going to be big enough for 5 gallon BIAB batches.

Thanks
Greg

 

[Antler]

I was just getting ready to post this same question, looking at a fryer with a 35 qt pot and wanted to know if it was going to be big enough for 5 gallon BIAB batches.

Thanks
Greg

If you haven't purchased yet I'd advise to go big enough for 5 gallons full mash. Maybe you could buy the burner and pot separate to get the pot just right for you...

Prices around here suck! I just priced a couple brewing kettles from my local brewing supply store. A 20 gallon basic pot, no false bottom, no temp gauge, no sight glass, just a pot and lid $575. The 20 gallon blichmann with ball valve, sight glass, and temp gauge is $710.

 

[nate456789]

My last 2 BIAB were brewed in a 30 quart pot.
I mashed with 5 gals of water. Total calcs called for 8 gals of water for the mash. I used the remaining water to do 2 sparges in a bucket.
Brought my total wart to 7.25 gallons pre boil. Had 5.25 gallons final wort after boil which gave me 5 gallons in the fermentor.

It can be done with a smaller pot but it is a little more work.

 

[TromboneGuy]

If you haven't purchased yet I'd advise to go big enough for 5 gallons full mash. Maybe you could buy the burner and pot separate to get the pot just right for you...

Prices around here suck! I just priced a couple brewing kettles from my local brewing supply store. A 20 gallon basic pot, no false bottom, no temp gauge, no sight glass, just a pot and lid $575. The 20 gallon blichmann with ball valve, sight glass, and temp gauge is $710.

If all you got was a pot and lid, you'd be better off going to a restaurant supply store. You can get a 20 gal PolarWare for something like $380.

 

[Antler]

I didn't say I bought it. I priced them. You might get that pot in your area for 380, but how much is the blichmann in your area? The blichmann in the US you can buy for ~450 according to midwest supplies. While the cheapest I've found local to me is $710!

 

[Antler]

Back to this topic again. Can someone tell me the amount of wort I need pre-boil to end up with 23 liters? iBrewmaster says 25.61 liters.

 

[BigRob]

Depends on your boil-off rate, how much grain you use, etc. I usually do BIAB with 20L of water and another 12L heated to 190F for a 5 min dunk sparge, I don't squeeze the bag much, just let it drip while the wort is coming up to a boil. Usually ending up with 27L before the boil, and around 23L after a 60min boil.

 

[Antler]

I'm mashing with about 20 liters, then top up to what ever I need pre-boil.

 

[JimTheHick]

Back to this topic again. Can someone tell me the amount of wort I need pre-boil to end up with 23 liters? iBrewmaster says 25.61 liters.

I would think you'd lose a lot more than 2.61 liters in evap from an hour boil. My setup boils off >5 liters and it's nothing special.

 

[Antler]

That's why I'm asking before I make an attempt, lol

 

[JimTheHick]

That's why I'm asking before I make an attempt, lol

I'd dunk sparge the bag in another 1.5 gallons (if you have another pot, or anything capable of holding the bag plus sparge water, could even do it with lukewarm water) after your initial 20 quart mash. Nothing kills efficiency more than adding 1.000 tap water into your pre-boil for expected evaporative loss.

Edit: if you dont have another pot get a grate or cut some slits in a cookie sheet. Take the bag out and tie a knot in the bag so the grain is not free to move about. You don't want it tight per se but snug. Then lay the grate over top of the pot, put bag on the grate, and sparge by pouring water through the bag about a liter of 120-170F water at a time. It's not the best, but still better than adding tap water.

 

[houndsbreath]

I've successfully done BIAB in a 34qt pot for the last 3 batches (IPA, pale ale and stout). I typically mash in with a little less than 4 gallons and stir like hell to get a good conversion then batch sparge with one gallon in a small cooler. Pull the bag and let it drip and I've got almost 1.25 gallons to add back to the pot before boiling. I always top up to 5 gals before aerating/pitching. Makes great beer easy.

 

[loeks]

I have the same size pot and do BIAB no problem. What I do is mash using 1.25 qt/lb. You can use this handy calculator to see how big of a grain bill you can fit in your pot (http://www.rackers.org/calcs.shtml). You could do up to 16# no problem. I mash in my pot, then transfer the wort to a bucket, figure how much sparge water I need, heat the sparge water in my pot and rinse my grains, and then return the wort to the pot and proceed with the boil.

Dead thread I know, but I just used this advice on my brewday today.

 

[brewprint]

Dead thread I know, but I just used this advice on my brewday today.

You only have a 32 quart pot? It just doesn't sound worth the effort but by the posts on this thread it's possible.

 

[loeks]

You only have a 32 quart pot? It just doesn't sound worth the effort but by the posts on this thread it's possible.

It's like they say, it's not the size of the pot...